The move follows a decision taken by councillors at a meeting on 22 September.
The services, which include household kerbside collections and the operation of three recycling centres in Weston-super-Mare, Backwell and Portishead, have been delivered by Biffa since 2017 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Following discussions between the council and the company, Biffa has agreed to the early termination of the contract, which was due to run until 2024 with the option of a 13-year extension.
North Somerset says is to establish a wholly council-owned company, North Somerset Recycling Company, to run the services from April next year.
Staff will be transferred over to the new company and will be “supported through the transition”, the council said.
At the moment, the terms of the early cancellation of the contract remain unclear.
Confidence
Councillor Bridget Petty, executive member responsible for recycling and waste, said: “It’s really important that our residents have the confidence that the council will continue to provide effective recycling and waste services and that staff, who will transfer over to the new company, will be supported through the transition process.
“Having an external provider has not always given us the flexibility we want”
“We believe that the best way to deliver the quality local service we all need and deserve is to create a local company that has North Somerset at its heart.
“We want an excellent and reliable recycling and waste collection service for our residents and having an external provider has not always given us the flexibility we want to respond to the needs of our area.”
Transition
North Somerset says it will work with current service provider Biffa during the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to the new operating arrangements.
Biffa had replaced Kier as the previous holder of the contract.
The contract has been hit with some problems, however. In July 2019, Biffa said that staffing issues led to a number of delays to waste and recycling collections.
In an interview with the BBC at the time, the council’s deputy leader Mike Bell said: “We all understand that things can happen – accidents, breakdown, sickness, and the hot weather does make it more difficult… but the bottom line is they’re paid by taxpayers to deliver a service and they have to have plans in place to support staff when these problems happen and they have been failing to do that.”
‘Pleased’
Roger Edwards, managing director of the municipal division at Biffa, said the company is pleased the “future direction” of the contract has been solved.
“Biffa is pleased that we have reached an agreement with the council”
“Biffa is pleased that we have reached an agreement with the council regarding the future direction of the contract that is beneficial to all parties. We thank all the North Somerset staff and team for their hard work to deliver a great service to the residents of North Somerset throughout the pandemic.
“During the coming months we will work to ensure a smooth transition so that both the local team and the residents of North Somerset experience a seamless transfer. Although we will be sad to see valued colleagues leave Biffa, we wish them all well for the future.”
Profits
North Somerset said the new council-owned company will be designed to prioritise resident experience and work proactively in neighbourhoods.
Cllr Petty said: “We want to improve our residents’ experience of the service. Any profits made by the company will be used to support the council’s priorities and benefit local people.”
There are to be no immediate changes to how residents use the service, and the day on which they get their collections, will stay the same for the time being, North Somerset said.
North Somerset recorded a recycling rate of 58.7% in the 2018/19 recycling figures, up from 57.1% the previous period.
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